Libun and Hagalah

Q. I understand there are two ways to kasher a utensil that became non-kosher: libun and hagalah. Please define each term and explain when each one is appropriate.

A. In Parshas Mattos (Bamidbar 31:23), the Torah describes a purification process for metal utensils taken as spoils of war from the Midianites: “Anything that comes in contact with fire must be passed through fire… anything that did not contact fire must pass through (hot) water”. Chazal understood this as referring to two distinct methods of kosherization to purge non-kosher taste (known as ta'am) from vessels. Chazal formulated a rule for the proper method of kosherization as follows. "Kibolo kach polto", which means, as the taste is absorbed, so it will be expelled. Those utensils that were used with water, such as a pot that was used to cook soup, are kashered with submersion in boiling water. This is known as hagalah. Those utensils that were used directly on the fire with dry heat, such as grills or spits, must be kashered with a more intensive method of kosherization, by placing the utensils directly in the fire. This is referred to as libun.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.